CoStar
Hex
| Feature | CoStar | Hex |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Contact sales | Free / from $28/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.1 / 5 | 4.4 / 5 |
| Best For | commercial-brokers, property-investors, asset-managers, appraisers | data-analysts, data-scientists, analytics-engineers, data-teams |
| Founded | 1987 | 2019 |
| Property Data | ✓ | ✗ |
| Market Analytics | ✓ | ✗ |
| Tenant Information | ✓ | ✗ |
| Comparable Sales | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mapping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Forecasting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Alerts | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sql Cells | ✗ | ✓ |
| Python Cells | ✗ | ✓ |
| Charts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Data Apps | ✗ | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Version History | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ CoStar Pros
- Most comprehensive commercial real estate database
- Detailed property and tenant information
- Advanced analytics and market forecasting
- Verified data with dedicated research teams
✗ CoStar Cons
- Very expensive subscription costs
- Primarily focused on commercial real estate
- Steep learning curve for new users
✓ Hex Pros
- SQL + Python in one tool
- Beautiful data apps
- Collaborative notebooks
- Good sharing features
✗ Hex Cons
- Expensive for teams
- Learning curve for non-technical
- Limited self-hosting
The Verdict
CoStar is built for commercial brokers and property investors, with a focus on property-data and market-analytics. Hex targets data analysts and data scientists and leads with sql-cells and python-cells.
CoStar uses custom enterprise pricing, while Hex starts at $28/mo — a tangible advantage for teams with a fixed budget.
Hex has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. CoStar requires a paid subscription from day one.
Hex edges out on user ratings (4.4 vs 4.1). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Feature-wise, CoStar offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Hex takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
Bottom line: Hex has a slight overall edge — but if most comprehensive commercial real estate database matters most to you, CoStar may still be the right call.